What To Eat To Cure A Hangover

If you are someone who enjoys a good drink, there may have been a time where you took it too far and paid the price the next morning with a hangover.

It’s an unpleasant sensation that can come with symptoms like headaches, nausea and sometimes even vomiting due to excessive alcohol intake. There is no real cure for hangovers. It’s just an experience that has to go away on its own with time. But the other unfortunate part is that there isn’t a specific time for when it will end. It’s essentially a waiting game that can sometimes feel never-ending. 

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While a cure may not exist, dietician Bianca Tamburello tells Well + Good there are steps an individual can take to ease the pain of a hangover. 

She starts by explaining that “Drinking alcohol can cause dehydration quickly because it acts as a diuretic, triggering the body to flush out fluids and important electrolytes.” So the key to managing the symptoms of a hangover would be to eat “foods and drinks to rehydrate, replenish electrolytes, balance blood sugar, and ease stomach irritation caused by alcohol.”

One of the more obvious ways to rehydrate the body is by drinking water, and Tamburello also suggests that people sip on some drinkable electrolytes. According to Healthline, a few beverages containing electrolytes are coconut water, milk, Pedialyte and sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade.

“These drinks rehydrate the body and replenish electrolytes, like potassium and sodium,” Tamburello confirms. “They also help boost blood sugar levels which are often also low during a hangover.”

But there are other ways to get electrolytes into the body. There are also nutritious and healthy foods people can eat that contain electrolytes. Tamburello says, “Fruits like oranges and watermelon provide hydration, electrolytes, and natural sugars to help recover from hangover symptoms. Plus, oranges offer immune-supporting vitamin C.”

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Bone broth and soup are another solid option to fight hangover symptoms because they “are easy on a nauseous stomach and can help balance blood sugar after levels become depleted.” 

If you’re looking for something more solid and meaty to fill you up, Tamburello offers salmon as a good solution. She explains that not only are the electrolytes compromised when drinking alcohol, but so are vitamins. However, salmon can come to the rescue by offering “up vitamin B6 and B12, which regulates regular body functions.” Tamburello says, “It’s also high in omega-3 fats, which may help inflammation caused by drinking alcohol.

While hangovers can affect everyone differently, one of the more common symptoms is nausea. Tamburello says eating simple food can help with that. “Bland foods like bananas, rice, and toast taste mild and are easy for the body to digest.”

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